Washing apparatus



' 7 April 13, 1937. F. R. WEST 2,076,688

WASHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR. 754mm? 14/55 ATTORNEYS BY W/ MM April 13, 1937. F, R, WE T 2,076,688

WASHING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORN YS Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,076,688 wasnmc APPARATUS Frank R. West, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 15, 1933, Serial No. 698,161

8 Claims. (Cl. 141-9) but regardless of the method of using such hot water for washing dishes, the maximum temperature of the same is usually about 120 more often much less.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dishwasher or similar washing apparatus which will effect easy. instantaneous cleansing of dishes and the like with a minimum amount of effort and with very little expense. More specifically, the present invention contemplates the use of an ordinary kitchen sink, filling the same with I a few inches of water, preferably from the tea kettle so that the same is very hot, 180 to 210, soaping the water, and then using this veryv hot soapy water, under pressure, to cleanse the dishes. This is accomplished without changing the normal structure of the sink in any way. Motive power is supplied by the cold water and the pressure of the hot soapy water is directly and variably controlled from the cold water faucet. One of the most important features of the invention is themanner of using the cold water as the fluid power for pumping the hot soapy water and getting rid of the waste cold water. This is accomplished by combining the cold water 35. power member and the hot water circulating member as one general unit and positioning the same over the standard drain outlet for the sink whereby the combined unit serves as a stopper for the sink to retain the hot soapy water therein but allows the cold motive power-water to continuously flow out through this drain opening.

Other features have to do with the details of OOIlStIlluGiOD of the washing unit, the rack for 45 use in combination with the unit and @the standard type sink, and the guard plate .for use in combination with the rack.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the com- 50 plete assembly and the preferred form of my dish washer apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the power unit and the drain.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of the pump unit and one manner of arranging the impeller unit and power supply therefor.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of a modified impeller arrangement wherebythe cold water supply is introduced at thre equidistantly spaced points.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a modified form of power unit wherein the impeller unit is positioned above the pump unit.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of by-pass structure whereby rinsing water may be connected direct to the spray nozzle.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a combined power and pump unit 2 is adapted to be positioned over the usual drain 3 of a sink 4. A conduit 5 connects the cold water supply line with the casing 6 of the impeller unit, and a conduit 1 connects the pump 8-with a spray nozzle '9.

In the preferred operation, the sink 4 is partially filled with boiling water up to a point II! which covers the combined power and pump unit. Soap is added to the boiling water to make a very strong cleansing solution. A dish rack Ii is so fabricated as to have arms l2 adapted to be supported on a drain board of the sink and a central or rack portion l3 preferably so fabricated as to support in a vertical position most of the utensils tovbe washed, the bottom of the rack I! being above the level ID of the boiling water. The cold water may be then turned on to excite the power unit and the hot soapy water will be drawn in to the pump 8 and expelled as a strong cleansing stream from the nozzle 9. The vol ume and pressure of this cleansing stream may be controlled by regulating the flow of cold water. A splash plate It is provided to fit around the edges of the sink proper and is preferably notched as at 15 to cooperate with raised portions it of the arms l2 so that the rack II will hold the splash plate [4 in position.

The rack- II is thus conveniently positioned within the sink and at a point above the boiling water to permit the cleansing stream to flow down over the dishesand utensils and back into the .body of boiling water, the rack also clearing the combined power and pump unit 2. The positioning of the rack also permits the conduit 5 to conveniently reach the combined pump and power unit and to allow the cold water power supply to flow.out through the drain.

The impeller casing 6 is preferably provided with a rubber gasket I'I which seals the drain opening and the interior of the impeller housing from the hot soapy water. This annular rubber gasket also takes up any unevenness in the sink so as to produce an efiective seal.

Impeller blades I8 may be of any standard shape and in general practice the conduit 5 and 5 the nozzle portion it! are so positioned as to strike the impeller blades I 8 and rotate the same to in turn rotate the gears of the pump unit 8. The drain 3, shortly after the cold water is supplied to the impeller casing, will assist in 10 the operation of the power unit in that the column of water flowing therethrough will produce a partial vacuum to accelerate the continuous flow of the cold water throughthe impeller casing. A screen 20 is preferably positioned around the intake of the pump 8 so as to keep the continuously circulating cleansing stream as clean and clear as possible at all times. It will be obvious and understood that various forms of impeller units and pumping units may be utilized in the general combination.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the cold vwater impeller nozzles I!) are equidistantly spaced around the impeller casing 6 so as to balance the complete power unit and reduce vibration and movement to a minimum.

In the modification illustrated inFig. 5, the

haust 23 from the impeller unit it provided with a flexible gasket member 24 to cooperate with the drain 3; the bottom of the pump unit 22 preferably resting on thebottom of the sink to balance the general power unit. The rubber 3 gasket 24 normally extends slightly below the bottom of the pump unit 22 so as to make an efiective seal with the surface area of the sink surrounding the drain. 'With this modified con-. struction it will be seen that the washing unit will operate with a smaller amount and a lower head of boiling water.

In many cases it will be desirable to use rinsing water either from the hot water faucet or the cold water faucet. For this purpose I have provided a by-pass member 25 as best illustrated in Fig. 6. In this construction suitable valves 26 and 21 are placed in the respective conduits 5 and I and connected by a common conduit.

It will be seen that in the normal position of the valves, as shown in Fig. 6, that cold water is tree to fiow to the impeller casing and hot soapy water from the pump. By turning both valves in a direction to the right, it will be seen that the cold or hot water supply through the conduit 5 will fiow directly through the conduit 1 and out the spray nozzle 9.

The spray nozzle 9 is preferably removable so that it can be replaced with various types of standard rubbing or abrazing units to permit of 60 a rubbing action in addition to the hot soapy mater for the cleaning of pots and pans and the It will thus be seen that I have provided a liquid cleansing apparatus for washing dishes 65 and the like which is extremely inexpensive, is easily attached to any standard sink without changing any part thereof and which device utilizes a very small amount of boiling water or other cleansing liquid, the cold water 'for sup- 70 p ying the power being conducted away through the drain, the result being that the ordinary standard sink becomes, with very little expense and with the saving of much time and effort, a complete high pressure dishwashing machine, 75 and in its preferred application a dishwashins power unit including operably connected liquid 10 actuated and cleansing liquid actuating means, said sink being adapted to be filled with cleansing liquid to a height above the liquid actuating means of the power unit, and there being an opening from the liquid actuated means to the 15 drain for conducting away the actuating liquid. 2. Power washing apparatus for cleansing dishes and the like, comprising a sink adapted to contain a'cleansing liquid, a power unit fitting over the drain opening in the sink, said- 20' power unit including operably connected liquid actuated and cleansing liquid actuating means, said sink being adaptedto be filled with'cleansing liquid to a height above the liquid actuating means of the power unit, an opening from the liquid actuated means to the drain for conducting away the actuating liquid, and annular means around the base of said power unit for sealing the cleansing liquid in the sink.

3. Power washing apparatus for cleansing dishes and the like, comprising a. sink, a combined power unit of relatively small height adapted to fit over the drainopening of the sink, means on said unit to fit around and seal said opening whereby a relatively small amount of boiling water may be confined in said sink and which will cover the power unit, said power unit including liquid actuated means and liquid. actuating means for circulating said hot water, said liquid actuated means opening into the 40 drain whereby to dispose of the actuating liquid, and a conduit connected to the immersed liquid actuating means for conducting the hot water to a point of application.

4. Power washing apparatus for cleansing 45 dishes and the like, comprising a. sink, a combined power unit of relatively small height adapted to fit over the drain opening of the sink, means on said unit to fit around and seal said opening whereby a relatively small amount of cleansing 50 liquid may be confined in said sink and which will cover the power unit, said power unit including liquid actuated ineans and cleansing liquid actuating means operated thereby, means for connecting the cold water sink tap with the liquid actuated means whereby the actuation of said liquid actuating m'eans'can be controlled by the fiow of cold water, said liquid actuated means opening into the drain whereby to dispose of the actuating liquid, and a conduit connected to the immersed liquid actuating means for conducting the cleansing liquid to a point of application.

5. In combination with a sink; a power unit for a dishwashing apparatus and the like, comprising an impeller casing connected to a source of cold water as the power supply, an impeller mounted therein and actuated by the water, a portion of said casing being adapted to fit around and substantially seal the drain opening in the sink whereby to permitthe filling of the sink with a. cleansing liquid and the draining away of the spent cold water, and a pump unit in the sink actuated by said impeller means for circulating the cleansing liquid under pressure, the

height of the cleansing liquid in the sink being above the pump unit,

6. In combination with a sink, a power unit fora 'dishwashing apparatus and the like, com- 5 prising an impeller casing connected to a source of cold water as the power supply, an impeller mounted therein and actuated by the water, a

portion of said casing being adapted to fit around and seal the drain openinh in the sink whereby 10 to permit the filling oi' the sink with a cleansing liquid and the draining away of the spent cold water, a pump unit in the sink actuated by said impeller means for circulating the cleansing liquid under pressure, the height of the cleansing 1 5 liquid in the sink being. above the pump unit, and means for screening the inlet to the pump unit. O l

7. In combination with a sink, a power unit for a dishwashing apparatus and the like, com- 20 prising an impeller casing connected to a source of cold water as the power supply, an impeller mounted therein and actuatedby the water, a

portionof the impeller casing including flexible means adapted-to fit around and sealthe drain opening in the sink whereby to permit the filling of the sink with a cleansing liquid and the draining away of the spent cold water, and a pump unit in the sink actuated by said impeller means for circulating the cleansingliquid under pressure, the height of the cleansing liquid in the sink being above the pump unit. V

8. In combination with a sink having a drain I outlet and adapted to contain a cleansing liquid,

a power. unit for dishwashing apparatus and the like, comprising a cold water operated member, a pump unit adapted to be positioned in the cleansing liquid of thesink and actuated by said member for circulating the cleansing liquid under pressure, means covering the drain outlet of the sink for sealing a body or cleansing liquid therein, and a conduit for conducting the cold spent water from the power member to the drain through said 7 last named means. 

